Transportation management processes and systems

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to transportation management processes and systems. One aspect of the invention is directed toward a method in a computer system for determining one or more routes for transporting items, including receiving multiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, generating one or more consolidations, and generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or an order. The method further includes generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops wherein each route is associated with one or more shipments. The method still further includes selecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to transportation management processes andsystems, including computing system and methods for determining one ormore routes for transporting items.

BACKGROUND

Shipping companies are faced with moving multiple packages betweenmultiple locations. Accordingly, it is important that the shippingcompanies strive to schedule the movement of packages in an effectiveand efficient manner. For example, a shipping company may have packagesat 11 different locations for delivery to 20 different destinations.Additionally, the packages can have varying delivery schedules and theshipping company can have a defined number of vehicles. Accordingly, theshipping company must determine which packages can be transported onwhich vehicle and determine the sequence of stops that each vehicle mustmake in order to deliver the packages to their corresponding destinationon time.

The task of determining which packages to transport on which vehicle anddetermining the sequence of stops that each vehicle must make can becomplicated, difficult, and time consuming, especially when there is alarge number of packages and vehicles. One method that shippingcompanies use to perform this task is to select a “seed” package that isbeing shipped from one location to another based on some criteria (e.g.,the heaviest package at a location) and to schedule the package fordelivery on a first vehicle. Additional packages are then scheduled onthe first vehicle for delivery at the same or a different location. Theshipping company then selects another “seed” package and schedules itfor delivery on a second vehicle. Additional packages are then scheduledon the second vehicle for delivery at the same or a different location,and so on, until all of the packages are scheduled for delivery. Adrawback of this process is that once a seed package is selected andscheduled on a vehicle, future seed package and vehicle selections arelimited to the remaining packages and vehicles. Accordingly, thisprocess does not necessarily converge toward a low cost solution becauseearly selections are blind to the consequences associated withsubsequent selections and therefore, may eliminate lower cost solutions.

Even if a large number of combinations are tried (e.g., using a set oflinear equations to predict the expense associated with eachcombination), the process is blind to the consequences associated withsubsequent selections and there is no guarantee that the process willconverge toward lower cost solutions. Furthermore, these processesgenerally do not account for real-world constraints and variables. Forexample, in many cases combinations are generated and tried, even thoughthey are unrealistic or impractical. For instance, in many cases, theseequations fail to take into account shipping restrictions (e.g.,packages that must be placed in a refrigerated truck), mutuallyexclusive combinations, non-linear rate breaks for a large number ofpackages being shipped to a selected destination, etc.

SUMMARY

Certain aspects of the invention are directed generally towardtransportation management processes and systems. For example, certainaspects of the present invention are directed toward a method in acomputer system for determining one or more routes for transportingitems, including receiving multiple orders to transport items from anorigination stop to a destination stop. Each order can have anassociated time attribute and an associated physical attribute. Themethod further includes generating one or more consolidations. Eachconsolidation can include an origination stop, a destination stop, atime attribute, a physical attribute, and a vehicle attribute. Eachconsolidation can be associated with two or more orders having commonorigination stops, common destination stops, and compatible timeattributes. The origination stop of each consolidation can correspond tothe common origination stops of the two or more associated orders. Thedestination stop of each consolidation can correspond to the commondestination stops of the two or more associated orders. The physicalattribute of each consolidation can correspond to the physicalattributes of the two or more associated orders. The time attribute ofeach consolidation can be compatible with the time attributes of the twoor more associated orders. The method can still further includegenerating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includes aselected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter orincludes a single order, generating one or more routes with an orderedsequence of stops wherein each route is associated with one or moreshipments, and selecting one or more routes based on one or more routeparameters.

Other aspects of the present invention are directed toward acomputer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling acomputing environment to perform a method that includes receivingmultiple orders to transport items from an origination stop to adestination stop. Each order can have an associated time attribute andan associated physical attribute. The method further includes generatingone or more consolidations. Each consolidation can include anorigination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, a physicalattribute, and a vehicle attribute. Each consolidation can be associatedwith two or more orders having common origination stops, commondestination stops, and compatible time attributes. The origination stopof each consolidation can correspond to the common origination stops ofthe two or more associated orders. The destination stop of eachconsolidation can correspond to the common destination stops of the twoor more associated orders. The physical attribute of each consolidationcan correspond to the physical attributes of the two or more associatedorders. The time attribute of each consolidation can be compatible withthe time attributes of the two or more associated orders. The method canstill further include generating one or more shipments wherein eachshipment includes a selected consolidation that meets at least oneshipment parameter or includes a single order, generating one or moreroutes with an ordered sequence of stops wherein each route isassociated with one or more shipments, and selecting one or more routesbased on one or more route parameters.

Still other aspects of the invention are directed toward a computingsystem for determining one or more routes for transporting items thatincludes an order receiving subsystem for receiving multiple orders totransport items from an origination stop to a destination stop. Eachorder can have an associated time attribute and an associated physicalattribute. The system can further include a consolidation generatingsubsystem for generating one or more consolidations. Each consolidationcan include an origination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, aphysical attribute, and a vehicle attribute. Each consolidation can beassociated with two or more orders having common origination stops,common destination stops, and compatible time attributes. Theorigination stop of each consolidation can correspond to the commonorigination stops of the two or more associated orders. The destinationstop of each consolidation can correspond to the common destinationstops of the two or more associated orders. The physical attribute ofeach consolidation can correspond to the physical attributes of the twoor more associated orders. The time attribute of each consolidation canbe compatible with the time attributes of the two or more associatedorders. The system can still further include a shipment generatingsubsystem for generating one or more shipments wherein each shipmentincludes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipmentparameter or includes a single order, a route generating subsystem forgenerating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops whereineach route is associated with one or more shipments, and a routeselection subsystem for selecting one or more routes based on one ormore route parameters.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in asimplified form that are further described below in the DetailedDescription. This Summary is not intended to identify key features oressential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended tobe used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subjectmatter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is partially schematic illustration of a computing environmentsuitable for implementing various embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates a process for selecting one ormore routes for transporting items in accordance with the selectedembodiments of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially schematic illustration of multiple orders inaccordance with selected embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially schematic illustration of a consolidation inaccordance with certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially schematic illustration of another consolidation inaccordance with selected embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a partially schematic illustration of costs associated withselected consolidations in accordance with certain embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 7 is a partially schematic illustration of cost associated withselected orders in accordance with selected embodiments of theinvention.

FIG. 8 is a partially schematic illustration of selected shipments inaccordance with certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 9 is a partially schematic illustration of multiple routes inaccordance with selected embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a partially schematic illustration of costs associated withfour routes in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 11 is a partially schematic illustration of a computing system inaccordance with selected embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are provided inorder to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention.One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that theinvention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details,or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances,well known structures, materials, or operations are not shown ordescribed in order to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

References throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with the embodiment is includedin at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, theappearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” invarious places throughout the specification are not necessarily allreferring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features,structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner inone or more embodiments.

FIGS. 1-11 illustrate various aspects of transport management systemsand processes in accordance with certain embodiments. FIG. 1 is apartially schematic illustration of a computing system or environmentsuitable for implementing various embodiments of the invention. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, the computing system 100 on which the system canbe implemented may include one or more central processing unit 110, oneor more memories 120, one or more input devices 130 (e.g., keyboard andpointing devices), one or more output devices 140 (e.g., display devicesand printers), and one or more storage devices 150 (e.g., disk drives).The memory and storage devices can include computer-readable media thatmay contain instructions that implement the system. In addition, thedata structures and message structures may be stored or transmitted viaa data transmission medium, such as a signal on a communication link160. Various communication links 160 may be used, such as the Internet,a local area network, a wide area network, a point-to-point dial-upconnection, a cell phone network, and so on.

Embodiments of the system may be implemented in various operatingenvironments that include personal computers, server computers,hand-held or laptop devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based systems, programmable consumer electronics, networkPCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers, distributed computingenvironments that include any of the above systems or devices, and soon. The computer systems may include personal digital assistants,cellular/smart phones, personal computers, programmable consumerelectronics, and so on.

The system may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, such as program modules, executed byone or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modulesinclude routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and soon that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract datatypes. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may becombined or distributed as desired in various embodiments. For example,in selected embodiments a subsystem can include a program module andportions of the computing system configured to store, interface, run,and/or execute the program module. Additionally, in selected embodimentsthe functionality of various embodiments above can be combined withand/or integrated into other computer implemented processes.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates a process 200 in a computingenvironment for determining one or more routes for transporting items inaccordance with the selected embodiments of the invention. In FIG. 2,the process includes receiving orders 202, generating consolidation(s)204, generating shipment(s) 206, generating route(s) 208, and selectingroute(s) 210. Additionally, in selected embodiments the process 200 caninclude modifying route(s) 212.

For example, in certain embodiments orders having common originationstops and destination stops can be formed or combined intoconsolidations and associated with selected vehicles. The consolidationscan be tested to determine if they meet selected shipment parameter(s).Those consolidations that meet the selected shipment parameter(s) can bedesignated shipments along with the individual orders. Accordingly, eachshipment includes a single origination stop and a single destinationstop. In certain embodiments, because the consolidations have to meetthe selected shipment parameter(s) in order to be designated a shipment,only those consolidations that are feasible and/or provide a costsavings over transporting the associated orders individually aredesignated as shipments.

In selected embodiments, one or more of the shipments can then becombined into one or more routes wherein each route is associated with avehicle and a sequence of stops (e.g., a sequence of stops made up ofthe origination stops and destination stops associated with theshipments corresponding to the route). One or more routes can then beselected based on route parameter(s). In further embodiments, at leastone of the selected routes can be modified by adding an additionalshipment to the route.

In some of the embodiments discussed above, because the shipments arenot mutually exclusive (e.g., multiple shipments can contain the sameorder), each of the shipments is available to form the one or moreroutes. Accordingly, a route set can be generated that has a widevariety of shipment combinations. The route(s) in the set of route(s)also do not need to be mutually exclusive (e.g., multiple routes cancontain the same shipment). Accordingly, a meaningful route set can beestablished, at least some of the routes can be compared to one or moreselected route parameter(s), and one or more routes can be selected(e.g., one or more routes can be selected based on cost and/orversatility).

A feature of some of these embodiments is that none of the shipments arecommitted to until at least one route is selected. An advantage of thisfeature is that although the unfeasible and/or expensive consolidationsmay have been filtered out because they did not meet the shipmentparameter(s), all of the shipments are available to form the route(s).Accordingly, route(s) can be generated without having to unnecessarilylimit the shipments available for forming routes. This feature canprovide a more meaningful route set from which route(s) can be selected.Therefore, in certain embodiments the process can be used to efficientlyconverge on routes meeting selected parameters.

For example, receiving orders 202 can include receiving multiple ordersin a computing system to transport items (e.g., materials, packages,and/or the like) from an origination to a destination. As shown in FIG.3, in selected embodiments each order can include a data set having anorigination stop, a destination stop, an associated time attribute, andan associated physical attribute. For example, in FIG. 3 order A caninclude a data element having an origination stop O1, a destination stopD1, an associated time attribute T1, and an associated physicalattribute P1. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the originationstop O1 and the destination stop D1 represent the origination where theitem(s) associated with the order A are to be picked up and thedestination where the item(s) associated with order A are to be droppedoff, respectively.

In the illustrated embodiment, the time attribute T1 includes the timewindows (e.g., the range of time(s) and date(s)) when the item(s)associated with order A are to be picked up and dropped off (e.g.,pickup 18 Dec. 2006; 0800-1600/drop off 24 Dec. 2006; 1200-1600). Inother embodiments, the time attribute can have other arrangements (e.g.,only a time window for pickup or a time window associated with a productexpiration date). The physical attribute P1 can include physicalattributes or information about the item(s) associated with order A. Forexample, the physical attribute P1 can include the weight of theitem(s), the volume of the item(s), the type of item(s), requirementsassociated with the item(s) (e.g., the item(s) must be refrigerated),and/or the like.

In FIG. 3, orders B, C, D, E, and F contain origination stops,destination stops, associated time attribute, and associated physicalattributes similar to those discussed above with reference to order A.For example, order B includes origination stop O1, destination stop D1,associated time attribute T2, and associated physical attribute P2.Order C includes origination stop O2, destination stop D1, associatedtime attribute T3, and associated physical attribute P3. Order Dincludes origination stop O1, destination stop D2, associated timeattribute T4, and associated physical attribute P4. Order E includesorigination stop O3, destination stop D3, associated time attribute T5,and associated physical attribute T5. Order F includes origination stopO1, destination stop D1, associated time attribute T6, and associatedphysical attribute P6.

In selected embodiments, generating consolidations (shown as block 204in FIG. 2) can include generating one or more consolidations from themultiple orders. For example, a consolidation can be formed by combiningtwo or more orders that have common origination stops, commondestination stops, and compatible time attributes. Additionally theorders forming the consolidation can be assigned to a selected vehicle.Accordingly, each consolidation can include a data element with anorigination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, a physicalattribute, and a vehicle attribute.

For example, orders A and B (shown in FIG. 3) have common originationstops O1 and common destination stops O2. In the illustrated embodiment,the time attributes T1 and T2 can be compatible if the pickup windowsand drop off windows associated with orders A and B overlap (e.g.,intersect). Accordingly, in selected embodiments the items associatedwith orders A and B can be combined on a single vehicle, can be pickedup during the intersection of the pickup windows associated with ordersA and B, and can be dropped of during the intersection of the drop offwindows associated with orders A and B.

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, a consolidation AB;V1 associated withcombining orders A and B can include an origination stop O1corresponding to the common origination stops of orders A and B, and adestination stop D1 corresponding to the common destination stops oforders A and B. Additionally, the consolidation can include a physicalattribute Pab corresponding to the physical attributes of orders A andB. For example, the physical attribute associated with the consolidationAB;V1 can include the combined weight or volume of the items in orders Aand B, a combined list of the items in orders A and B, the combinedrestrictions associated with the items in orders A and B, and/or thelike.

The consolidation AB;V1 can also include an associated time attributeTab compatible with the time attributes of orders A and B. For example,in certain embodiments associated time attribute of the consolidationcan include a pickup time window and a drop off time window. The pickupwindow of the consolidation can be the intersection of the pickupwindows of orders A and B and the drop off window of the consolidationcan be the intersection of the drop off windows of orders A and B.Additionally, the consolidation AB;V1 can include a vehicle attribute.For example, in the illustrated embodiment the consolidation AB;V1includes a vehicle attribute V1 associated with the vehicle that theitems associated with orders A and B can be assigned to and/or carriedon. In selected embodiments the vehicle attribute can include a vehicleidentification (e.g., truck 105 or aircraft N234) and/or otherinformation associated with the vehicle (e.g., the vehicle hasrefrigerated storage, the vehicle has a weight limit, the vehicle has arange or speed limit, and/or the like). Although in the illustratedembodiment the consolidation AB;V1 is associated with two orders, inother embodiments a consolidation can include more than two orders.

In the illustrated embodiment, for the purpose of forming consolidationsin process 200, it does not matter what sequence the orders arecombined. For example, because both orders A and B in consolidationAB;V1 have common origination stops and common destination stops, itdoes not matter which sequence the orders are placed on the vehicle.Therefore, when forming consolidation AB;V1 it does not matter whetheryou combine order A with order B or order B with order A (e.g., ineither case you would end up with AB;V1). However, a person skilled inthe art will understand that once a route is selected (as describedbelow), the selected route, along with other factors, may dictate thesequence in which items associated with the route (and correspondingorders) are loaded on the vehicle.

In selected embodiments, for a set of orders and a set of vehicles,every order and vehicle combination can be formed where the orders ineach consolidation include common origination stops, common destinationstops, and compatible time attributes. For example, in a selectedembodiment where there are two vehicles that can carry the items inorders A and B, another consolidation AB;V2 can be formed, where vehicleattribute V1 is associated with a first vehicle and a second vehicle hasan associated vehicle attribute V2. As shown in FIG. 5, theconsolidation AB;V2 can include the same origination stop O1,destination stop D1, the same time attribute Tab, and the same physicalattribute Pab as consolidation AB;V1, but include vehicle attribute V2instead of vehicle attribute V1.

In other embodiments, some, but not all, order and vehicle combinationare formed into consolidations. For example, in certain embodiments inorder to save time, only a selected portion number of orders are formedinto consolidations. For instance, in selected embodiments no more than3 orders are combined into a consolidation.

In certain embodiments, generating shipments (shown as block 206 in FIG.2) can include generating one or more shipments wherein each shipmentincludes a selected consolidation that meets at least one shipmentparameter or includes an order. For example, in selected embodiments ashipment parameter can include a constraint (e.g., real worldconstraint), business rule, or other characteristics which aconsolidation must meet in order to become, or be designated, ashipment. In certain embodiments, each order is also included as ashipment (e.g., even though the order is not associated with a vehicle)to insure that each order can be considered in generating one or moreroutes.

In the illustrated embodiment, the shipment parameter(s) can includeorder mateability, vehicle mateability, additional time attributes(e.g., associated with the vehicle, the operation of the vehicle, theorigination stop, or the destination stop), a characteristic that wouldmake the order vehicle combination infeasible, and/or the like. Forexample, in selected embodiments a consolidation may not be feasible iftwo orders are not mateable with one another (e.g., an order having onetype of hazardous material might not be combinable with an order havinganother type of hazardous material). In other embodiments, selectedorders may not be mateable with selected vehicles (e.g., an order thatis required to be refrigerated might not be combinable with a vehiclethat does not have a refrigeration unit/container or a selectedcombination of orders might be too large and/or heavy for a selectedvehicle to carry).

In other embodiments, other constraints can be included as shipmentparameter(s). For example, in certain embodiments shipment parameter(s)can include constraints associated with Federal Department ofTransportation rule (e.g., duty time for a driver, mandatory breaks,etc.) and/or state or local traffic/transportation codes. In otherembodiments, shipment parameter(s) can include constraints associatedwith the origination/destination stops (e.g., the type of vehicledocking available at an origination/destination stop, monetary penaltiesfor arriving at an origination/destination stop early or late, monetaryassessments associated with waiting at an origination/destination stop,maximum allowed waiting times at an origination/destination stop,vehicle loading and unloading times, etc.). In still other embodiments,the shipment parameter(s) can include other real world travelconstraints such as likely time delays due to rush hour traffic incertain areas during certain time periods. In yet other embodiments, theshipment parameter(s) can include vehicle related constraints such asthe maximum speed that a selected vehicle can achieve or maintain, atime period during which a selected vehicle can operate (e.g., duringday light hours only), and/or the type of roads a selected vehiclerequires (e.g., a road weight bearing capacity and/or a maximumachievable turn radius).

In still other embodiments, the shipment parameter(s) can include aselected consolidation having a corresponding cost that is less than thesum of the costs corresponding to the two or more orders associated withthe selected consolidation. For example, in certain embodiments aconsolidation can be selected and the cost corresponding to the selectedconsolidation (e.g., an estimated or a predicted cost for transportingthe items associated with the orders corresponding to the consolidationbetween the consolidation origination stop and the consolidationdestination stop) can be generated. Additionally, the costscorresponding to each order associated with the consolidation (e.g., anestimated or a predicted cost for transporting items associated witheach order from the corresponding order to origination stop to thecorresponding quarter destination stop) can be generated. Accordingly,generating a shipment can include determining whether the selectedconsolidation has a corresponding cost that is less than the sum of thecosts corresponding to the two or more orders associated with theselected consolidation.

One skilled in the art will recognize that there are various methodsand/or computer programs which can be used to generate a cost (e.g.,estimated, projected, and/or actual cost) associated with an order, aconsolidation, a shipment, and/or a route. For example, current costgenerating software or methods include rating oracles, travel oracles,Czar, Zone based shipping rates, Flat-Cost shipping rates,Distance-Based shipping rates, and/or the like. For example, in selectedembodiments a lookup table that includes the shipping cost per unitweight between zip codes can be used to generate costs. In otherembodiments, a lookup table that includes the shipping cost per unitweight between city pairs and/or per mile can be used to generate costs.In still other embodiments, a travel oracle can be used that estimatestravel time depending on the time period of travel and adjusts theassociated cost for expected delays can be used to generate costs. Inyet other embodiments, other methods and programs for generatingassociated costs can be used.

In certain embodiments, all possible consolidations can be formed andthen the shipment parameter(s) can be applied to each consolidation todetermine whether the consolidation should be used to generate ashipment. In other embodiments, the shipment parameter(s) can be appliedto each consolidation as the consolidation is formed (e.g., concurrentlyor nearly concurrently with determining if the associated orders havecommon origination stops, common destination stops, and compatible timeattributes). In still other embodiments, all order/vehicle combinationscan be formed and the order/vehicle combinations can be tested todetermine if the associated orders have common origination stops, commondestination stops, and compatible time attributes (e.g., to determine ifthe order/vehicle combination can be a consolidation). Then, theshipment parameter(s) can be applied to each consolidation to determineif the consolidation should become a shipment.

For example, in one embodiment for a list of orders and a list ofvehicle attributes (e.g., wherein each vehicle attribute represents avehicle), the process of generating consolidations and generatingshipments can be accomplished in combination, and can include:

-   -   1. Generate a set of all two order/vehicle attribute        combinations from the lists of orders and vehicle attributes        (e.g., AB;V1; AB;V2; etc.). As discussed above, because the        sequence in which the orders are combined in a consolidation or        a shipment is unimportant, there is no need to select both AB;V1        and BA;V1 because they are equivalent and, therefore, not        unique. Accordingly, only unique combinations need to be        selected.    -   2. Select each two order/vehicle attribute combination.    -   3. Test that the selected two order/vehicle attribute        combination includes a common origination stop and a common        destination stop. If not, discard the selected combination. If        so, proceed to step 4.    -   4. Test that the time attributes of the selected two        order/vehicle attribute combination are compatible. If not,        discard the selected combination. If so, proceed to step 5.    -   5. Test that the selected two order/vehicle attribute        combination meets one or more shipment parameter(s). If not,        discard the selected combination. If so, designate the selected        two order/vehicle attribute combination as a shipment.    -   6. Generate a set of all three order/vehicle attribute        combinations from the lists of orders and vehicle attributes        (e.g., ABC;V1; ABC;V2; etc.).    -   7. Select each three order/vehicle attribute combination.

8. Test that the selected three order/vehicle attribute combinationincludes a common origination stop and a common destination stop. Ifnot, discard the selected combination. If so, proceed to step 9.

-   -   9. Test that the time attributes of the selected three        order/vehicle attribute combination are compatible. If not,        discard the selected combination. If so, proceed to step 10.    -   10. Test that the selected three order/vehicle attribute        combination meets one or more shipment parameter(s). If not,        discard the selected combination. If so, designate the selected        three order/vehicle attribute combination as a shipment.    -   11. And so on.

In certain embodiments, the above process can be continued until allcombinations have been tested. For example, if there are 50 orders inthe list, the above process can generate, select, and test a set of alltwo order/vehicle attribute combinations, then a set of all threeorder/vehicle attribute combinations, . . . and finally, a set of allfifty order/vehicle attribute combinations. In other embodiments, theprocess can be stopped once a set is found that does not generate anyshipments. For example in selected embodiments, if the set of all threeorder/vehicle attribute combinations does not generate any shipments,the process can be terminated and subsequent order/vehicle attributesets are not tested (e.g., four order/vehicle attribute sets are notgenerated, selected, or tested).

In FIG. 3, the following orders A, B, and F include common originationstops and common destination stops. Assuming that they have compatibletime attributes T1, T2, and T6, the following consolidations can begenerated: AB;V1; AB;V2; AF;V1; AF;V2; FB;V1; FB;V2; ABF;V1; and ABF;V2.If order F is required to be carried on a refrigerated vehicle (e.g., ashipment parameter) and vehicle V1 is does not include a refrigeratedfacility, then all combinations that include order F and vehicleattribute V1 cannot become shipments (e.g., and can be discarded).Accordingly, only consolidations AB;V1; AB;V2; AF;V2; FB;V2; and ABF;V2need to be tested against other shipment parameter(s).

In the illustrated embodiment, the remaining consolidations can betested against a shipment parameter that includes comparing the cost oftransporting the consolidation to the sum of the costs of transportingthe associated orders. For example, FIG. 6 shows the cost associatedwith transporting the remaining consolidations (e.g., the estimated orpredicted cost of transporting the consolidations can be computed by atravel oracle or rating oracle). FIG. 7 illustrates the cost associatedwith transporting the individual orders (e.g., the estimated orpredicted cost of transporting the orders can be computed by a traveloracle or rating oracle). Accordingly, if the cost associated withconsolidation AB;V2 (e.g., C2) is equal to or greater than the sum ofthe costs associated with orders A and B (e.g., C6+C7), then there maybe no reason to combine orders A and B for shipping. Therefore,consolidation AB;V2 can be discarded (e.g., not designated as ashipment). In other embodiments, the shipment parameter(s) can includeother criteria and/or be applied differently. For example, in otherembodiments the consolidation AB;V2 can be designated as a shipment ifthe cost associated with AB;V2 is equal to or less than the sum of thecosts associated with orders A and B.

In the illustrated embodiment, consolidations AF;V1; BF;V1; ABF;V1 andAB;V2 have been discarded because they did not meet selected shipmentparameter(s). As shown in FIG. 8, the other consolidations have beendesignated as shipments. Additionally, in the illustrated embodimenteach of the orders have been designated as shipments to insure that allof the orders will be available to generate routes. Accordingly, in theillustrated embodiment FIG. 8 illustrates the set of shipments availablefor route generation. In other embodiments there can be more, fewer,and/or different consolidations, orders, and/or shipments. For example,in other embodiments a much larger set of vehicles and a much larger setof orders having a large number of different origination stops anddestination stops can be considered when generating consolidations andshipments.

Generating route(s) (shown as block 208 in FIG. 2) can includegenerating one or more routes with an ordered sequence of stops, whereeach route is associated with one or more shipments. A route can includeone or more shipments and includes a physical attribute associated withthe physical attribute of the corresponding shipment(s) and a timeattribute associated with time attributes of the correspondingshipment(s). Additionally, the route includes the origination stops andthe destination stops associated with the corresponding shipments.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9, shipment AB;V1 has been combined withshipment E to form one or more routes. In the illustrated embodiment,shipment AB;V1 is associated with origination stop O1 and destinationstop D1. Shipment E is associated with origination stop O3 anddestination stop D3. Accordingly, because there are four total stopsassociated with the combined shipments, there are 4! possible stopsequence permutations that can be considered or used to generate routeshaving an ordered sequence of stops. Accordingly, in FIG. 9 there are 24routes (shown as R1-R24) with unique stop sequences.

In FIG. 9, each route has been associated with vehicle attribute V1because shipment E does not have a vehicle attribute associated with itand the items in shipment AB;V1 and in shipment E would be combined onthe vehicle associated with vehicle attribute V1. Also in theillustrated embodiment the routes include a physical attribute Pabe thatis associated with the physical attributes associated with shipmentsAB;V1 and shipment E (e.g., Pabe can be the combined weight or volume ofthe shipments and/or a list of the items associated with the shipment).Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment the routes are associatedwith a time attribute Tabe. The time attribute Tabe is associated withthe time attributes of shipments AV;V1 and E (e.g., the pickup and dropoff windows for the associated shipments). In other embodiments theroutes can include different physical attributes and time attributes.

In the illustrated embodiment, additional route sets can be generatedusing other shipment combinations. For example, other two shipmentcombinations having other associated orders and associated vehicleattributes can be combined to generate other route sets. Additionally,route sets can include the combination of more than two shipments (e.g.,three shipment combinations, four shipment combinations, etc.). Route(s)in the one or more route sets can then be compared with one or moreroute parameters, and one or more routes can be selected based on thiscomparison (e.g., selecting route(s), shown as block 210 in FIG. 2).

Similar to the shipment parameter(s) discussed above, in selectedembodiments the route parameters can include a constraint (e.g., realworld constraint), business rule, or other characteristics. The routeparameter can be used to, among other things, determine if a route isfeasible, to determine if a route should be considered as part of afinal solution, to “rate” how desirable a route is with respect tocertain characteristics, and/or to aid in selecting a route to be used(e.g., used to schedule the transportation of items associated with theroute, stored for later scheduling, and/or printed out for laterscheduling). For example, in FIG. 9 many of the routes are not feasiblebecause items associate with a selected order in a shipment must bepicked up (e.g., at an associated origination stop) before they can bedropped off (e.g., at an associated destination stop). Accordingly, anyroute where D1 precedes O1 and/or any route where D3 precedes O3 is nota feasible route. In certain embodiments, this route parameter can beapplied concurrently with the formation of the routes so thatnon-feasible routes are not considered with respect to other routeparameters.

In the illustrated embodiment, the route parameter(s) can include otherconstraints business rule, and/or characteristics. For example, incertain embodiments the route parameter can include shipment mateabilitycharacteristics, vehicle mateability characteristics, additional timeattributes (e.g., associated with the vehicle, the operation of thevehicle, the origination stop, or the destination stop), acharacteristic that would make the shipment vehicle combinationinfeasible, and/or the like. For example, in selected embodiments aconsolidation may not be feasible if two shipments are not mateable withone another (e.g., a shipment having one type of hazardous materialmight not be combinable with a shipment having another type of hazardousmaterial). In other embodiments, selected shipments may not be mateablewith selected vehicles (e.g., a shipment that is required to berefrigerated might not be combinable with a vehicle that does not have arefrigeration unit/container or a selected combination of shipmentsmight be too large and/or heavy for a selected vehicle to carry).

Additionally, in selected embodiments route parameter(s) can be used todetermine if a route is feasible based on the vehicle attributesassociated with the corresponding shipments and/or to assign a vehicleattribute to a route. For example, in selected embodiments routeparameter(s) can allow shipments having the same vehicle attributes tobe combined for route generating purposes. Additionally, routeparameter(s) can allow shipment with common vehicle attributes to becombined with shipments having no vehicle attributes (e.g., a singleorder shipment) for route generation, and cause the common vehicleattribute to be assigned to the associated routes. Furthermore, routeparameters can allow shipments having no vehicle attributes to becombined together for route generation and can cause vehicles from alist to be associated with various routes formed from the shipmentcombination. For example, a first single order shipment without avehicle attribute can be combined with a second single order shipmentwithout a vehicle attribute, a first vehicle can be assigned to thecombination, and various routes with various stop sequences can begenerated. A second vehicle can then be assigned to the combination ofsingle order shipments in addition the routes with various stopsequences can be generated. In selected embodiments, this process couldbe continued for all available vehicles.

In other embodiments, other constraints can be included as routeparameter(s). For example, in certain embodiments route parameter(s) caninclude constraints associated with Federal Department of Transportationrule (e.g., duty time for a driver, mandatory breaks, etc.) and/or stateor local traffic/transportation codes. In other embodiments, routeparameter(s) can include constraints associated with theorigination/destination stops (e.g., the type of vehicle dockingavailable at an origination/destination stop, monetary penalties forarriving at an origination/destination stop early or late, monetaryassessments associated with waiting at an origination/destination stop,maximum allowed waiting times at an origination/destination stop,vehicle loading and unloading times, etc.). In still other embodiments,the route parameter(s) can include other real world travel constraintssuch as likely time delays due to rush hour traffic in certain areasduring certain time periods. In yet other embodiments, the routeparameter(s) can include vehicle related constraints such as the maximumspeed that a selected vehicle can achieve or maintain, a time periodduring which a selected vehicle can operate (e.g., during day lighthours only), and/or the type of roads a selected vehicle requires (e.g.,a road weight bearing capacity and/or a maximum achievable turn radius).

In still other embodiments, the route parameter can include a “doubleback” criteria. For example, if the further destination stop associatedwith a routing is west of all other stops associated with a routing, adouble back criteria could be used to see if any of the stops in theroute stop sequence require a carrier or vehicle to proceed east boundmore than a selected distance (e.g., a percentage of the distancebetween the most easterly origination stop and the most westerlydestination stop). If a route exceeds a double back criteria, the routecould be associated with a level of undesirability corresponding to theamount that the double back criteria is exceeded and/or the number oftimes the double back criteria is exceeded. This rating can beused/considered in selecting one or more routes, for example, ascompared to other routes.

In selected embodiments, route parameter(s) can include the versatilityassociated with selecting a certain route as compared to selecting otherroutes. The versatility of a selected route can include a measure of howcommon the orders associated with the selected route are to otherroutes. As discussed below in further detail, if a route is selectedthat includes orders that are contained in other routes, the otherroutes containing those orders can be eliminated from consideration forfuture route selection because they contain one or more orders that areassociated with the selected route. Accordingly, in certain embodimentsit can be desirable to select routes with low versatility (e.g., routesthat contain orders that are less common to a large number of otherroutes) to preserve the largest number of routes for subsequentselections.

For example, in selected embodiments the number of times each orderappears in a list of routes (e.g., a list including all generated routesor including a subset of all generated routes) can be determined andassociated with the order as an appearance number. Accordingly, theversatility for a selected route can be computed by adding up theappearance number of each order that is associated with the selectedroute. The higher the sum of the appearance numbers, the higher theversatility. In other embodiments, versatility can be associated withshipments contained in an associated list of shipments in a similarmanner.

In yet other embodiments, the route parameter(s) can include a selectedroute having a corresponding cost that is less than the sum of the costscorresponding to the order(s) associated with the selected route orcorresponding to the two or more shipment(s) associated with theselected route. For example, in certain embodiments a route can beselected and the cost corresponding to the selected route (e.g., anestimated or a predicted cost for transporting the items associated withthe orders corresponding to the route between the associated originationstop(s) and the associated destination stop(s)) can be generated.Additionally, the costs corresponding to each order associated with theroute (e.g., an estimated or a predicted cost for transporting itemsassociated with each order from the corresponding order to originationstop to the corresponding quarter destination stop) can be generated.Accordingly, generating a route can include determining whether theselected route has a corresponding cost that is less than the sum of thecosts corresponding to the orders associated with the selected route.Similarly, in other embodiments the cost associated with the route canbe compared to the sum of the costs associated with the correspondingshipments.

One skilled in the art will recognize that there are various methodsand/or computer programs which can be used to generate a cost (e.g.,estimated, projected, and/or actual cost) associated with an order, aconsolidation, a shipment, and/or a route. For example, current costgenerating software or methods include rating oracles, travel oracles,Czar, Zone based shipping rates, Flat-Cost shipping rates,Distance-Based shipping rates, and/or the like. For example, in selectedembodiments a lookup table that includes the shipping cost per unitweight between zip codes can be used to generate costs. In otherembodiments, a lookup table that includes the shipping cost per unitweight between city pairs and/or per mile can be used to generate costs.In still other embodiments, a travel oracle can be used that estimatestravel time depending on the time period of travel and adjusts theassociated cost for expected delays can be used to generate costs. Inyet other embodiments, other methods and programs for generatingassociated costs can be used.

In certain embodiments, all possible routes can be formed and then theroute parameter(s) can be applied to each route to determine whether theroute is feasible, whether the route should be selected, and/or thelike. In other embodiments, at least some of the route parameter(s) canbe applied to each route as the route is formed. Routes that do not meetthe applied route parameter(s) can be discarded. Additional routeparameter(s) can then be applied to the routes that are not discarded.Furthermore, for the sake of expedience route parameter(s) can limit thenumber of shipments that are combined into any one route. For example,if there are thirty shipments, in some cases routes could be constructedthat include two shipments, three shipments, etc. all the way uproute(s) that contain all thirty shipments. In selected embodiments, theroute parameter(s) can be used to limit route generation and/orselection to those routes that combine a selected number of shipments orless (e.g., 5 shipments or less).

For example, in one embodiment the process of generating routes andselecting routes can include:

-   -   1. Generate sets of all two shipment routes (e.g., routes        containing two shipments) from a list of shipments.    -   2. Select each two shipment route.    -   3. Apply route parameter(s) to determine whether the selected        two shipment route is feasible. For example, in selected        embodiments determining whether a route is feasible can include,        among other things, ensuring that the route does not include        shipments containing the same order(s) (e.g., no order can        appear more than once in the selected route). If the selected        route is not feasible, the selected route can be discarded. If        the selected route is feasible, proceed to step 4.    -   4. Apply route parameter(s) to determine the cost and        versatility of the selected two shipment route.    -   5. Save the selected route in a list of feasible routes with the        associated cost and versatility information.    -   6. Generate sets of all three shipment routes from the list of        shipments.    -   7. Select each three shipment route.    -   8. Apply route parameter(s) to determine whether the selected        three shipment route is feasible (e.g., in a manner similar to        that discussed above with reference to two shipment routes). If        not, the selected route can be discarded. If the selected route        is feasible, proceed to step 9.    -   9. Apply route parameter(s) to determine the cost and        versatility of the selected three shipment route.    -   5. Save the selected three shipment route in the list of        feasible routes with the associated cost and versatility        information.    -   11. And so on until all feasible routes have been generated or        until all feasible routes having a less than or equal to a        selected number of shipments have been generated.

In selected embodiments, route parameters can then be used to select oneor more routes from the list of feasible routes. For example, in certainembodiments methods similar to those discussed in U.S. Pat. No.7,127,411, entitled METHODS FOR SCHEDULING TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES,issued Oct. 24, 2006, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,634, entitled METHODS FORSCHEDULING TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES, issued Jun. 22, 2004, both of whichare fully incorporated herein by reference, can be used, at least inpart, to select routes from the feasible routes list. For instance, incertain embodiments cost saving bands can be established. For example,in one embodiment establishing saving bands can include establishing afirst band having a savings of less than $100, a second band having asavings of $100 to $199, a third band having a savings of $200 to $299,a fourth band having a savings of $300 to $399, a fifth band having asavings of $400 to $499, and a sixth band having a savings of greaterthan $499. Routes having the associated cost savings over the sum of thecost associated with the corresponding individual orders or shipmentscan be placed in each of the appropriate bands.

For example, FIG. 10 shows four routes R3, R4, R7, and R8. Each routehas an associated mileage M20, M21, M22, and M23, respectively,depending on the sequence of stops. Additionally, each route has anassociated cost savings CS20, CS21, CS22, and CS23, respectively,representing the cost savings over the sum of the cost associated withthe individual shipments AB;V1 and E. Furthermore, each route includes aversatility VR20, VR21, VR22, and VR23, respectively, representing theversatility of each route. For example, if the cost savings of routesR3, R4, R7, and R8 place the routes into the sixth savings band, theversatility can be determined based on all of the routes in the sixthsavings band. Similarly, the versatility of all of the other routes inthe sixth savings band (e.g., other than R3, R4, R7, and R8, if any) andthe routes in the first through the fifth savings bands can bedetermined.

In selected embodiments, a route can be selected from the sixth savingsband based, at least in part, on versatility. For example, a route canbe selected that has the lowest versatility, has the most componentorders, has a vehicle with the largest capacity, has a vehicleassociated with a desired carrier (e.g., when using multiple independentcarriers to transport various orders and it is desirable to give ashipment to the most reliable carrier and/or to an under utilizedcarrier), and/or other route parameter(s). Once a route is selected fromthe sixth savings band, conflicting routes can be removed from all ofthe savings bands (e.g., routes that contain one or more orders that areincluded in the selected route are in conflict with the selected routebecause in the final solution two routes cannot carrier the same order).A route can then be selected from the fifth savings band, the fourthsavings band, the third savings band, the second savings band, and thefirst savings band, in turn, using a similar process. As routes areselected from the savings bands, if all of the routes in a subsequentsavings band have been eliminated (e.g., due to conflicting orders) thena route from the next savings band is selected.

In other embodiments, other methods can be used to select routes formthe feasible routes list. For example, in selected embodiments more,fewer, and/or different savings bands can be established. In otherembodiments, multiple routes can be selected from selected savingsbands. For example, in certain embodiments the route with the lowestversatility can be selected from the sixth savings band, conflictingroutes can be eliminated, and then the route having the lowestversatility of the remaining routes in the sixth savings band can beselected, and so on. Once there are no more remaining routes in thesixth savings band, a similar process can be used to select routes fromthe fifth savings band, then the fourth savings band, etc. In otherembodiments, other route parameter(s) can be used to assign a numericalrating to various routes or route combinations and an operator canselect the routes based on the numerical rating.

In selected embodiments, once the routes have been selected using theprocess described above, one or more of the selected routes can bemodified (shown as block 212 in FIG. 2) to include one or moreadditional shipments (e.g., shipments that were not included in theselected routes or non-included shipments). In certain embodiments, aroute criteria can be used to determine if the modified route should beused or discarded. The route criteria can include a constraint (e.g.,real world constraint), business rule, or other characteristicsincluding cost comparisons, similar to the route parameter(s) discussedabove.

In certain embodiments, a process similar to that discussed above withreference to generating and selecting routes using route parameters canbe used to generate modified routes and select modified routes to beused. For example, selected route and non-included shipment combinationscan be formed (e.g., modified routes can be formed, each including aselected route and one or more non-included shipments). Thesecombinations can be compared to route criteria to determine whether eachcombination provides a cost savings (e.g., the cost of the combinationis less than the sum of the cost associated with the correspondingselected route and non-included shipment(s)). Those combinations that donot provide a cost savings can be discarded. The remaining combinationscan form a list of cost saving modified routes.

Versatilities can be determined for each modified route in the list ofcost saving modified routes. A modified route can be selected from thelist of cost saving modified routes based on the associated amount ofcost savings, the associated versatility (e.g., a low versatility beingdesirable), and/or other route criteria such as whether the vehicleassociated with the selected route can carry the added shipment(s). Oncea modified route is selected from the list of cost saving modifiedroutes, conflicting modified routes can be removed from the list and theprocess can be repeated until there are no remaining modified routes inthe list of cost saving modified routes. This route modification featurecan be particularly useful when the route generation processes discussedabove with reference to block 208 in FIG. 2 is limited to a selectednumber of shipment combinations.

As shown in FIG. 11, a computing system 1100 can include subsystems(e.g., hardware and/or software components or modules) for performingvarious portions of the process for determining one or more routes fortransporting items shown in FIG. 2, in accordance with selectedembodiments of the invention. For example, in FIG. 11 the computingsystem 1100 includes an order receiving subsystem 1102 for receivingorders, a consolidation generating subsystem 1104 for generatingconsolidation(s), a shipment generating subsystem 1106 for generatingshipment(s), a route generating subsystem 1108 for generating route(s),and a route selection subsystem 1110 for selecting route(s).Additionally, in selected embodiments the computing system 1100 caninclude a route modifying subsystem 1112 for modifying route(s) (e.g.,including generating modified routes and selecting modified routes). Inother embodiments, the computing system 1100 can include more, fewer,and/or different subsystems. For example, in selected embodiments theconsolidation generating subsystem 1104 and the shipment generatingsubsystem 1106 can be combined. Similarly, in certain embodiments theroute generating subsystem 1108 and the route selecting subsystem 1110can be combined.

In the illustrated embodiment, the computing system 1100 includes acosting subsystem 1114 and parameter/criteria subsystem 1116. In FIG.11, the costing subsystem 1114 interfaces with the other subsystems andincludes the necessary information and/or logic for associating costswith selected orders, consolidations, shipments, and/or routes.Additionally, in selected embodiments the costing subsystems 1114 canprovide cost comparisons (e.g., compute cost savings) between selectedorders, consolidations, shipments, and/or routes. In FIG. 11, theparameter/criteria subsystem 1116 interfaces with the other subsystemsand includes the information and/or logic necessary to apply the variousshipment parameter(s), route parameter(s), and/or route criteriadiscussed above. Additionally, in selected embodiments theparameter/criteria subsystem 1116 includes the necessaryinformation/logic to assist the consolidation generating subsystem 1104in generating consolidations.

In other embodiments, the computing system can include otherarrangements, including more, fewer, and or different costing subsystemand parameter/criteria subsystem configurations. For example, inselected embodiments the costing subsystem can be included as part ofthe parameter/criteria subsystem. In other embodiments, the computingsystem does not include a costing subsystem and parameter/criteriasubsystem, and the information/logic discussed above with reference tothese subsystems are included in the other subsystems (e.g., in theorder receiving subsystem, the consolidation generating subsystem, theshipment generating subsystem, the route generating subsystem, the routeselection subsystem, and/or the route modifying subsystem).

Although many of the embodiments above have been described in thecontext of a computing system or a method in a computing environment, aperson skilled in the art will recognize that various portions of themethod can be performed manually and/or with various manual inputs by auser. Additionally, a person skilled in the art will recognize that anitem associated with an order can include any material being transportedfrom one location to another. For example, an item can include a gas,solid, liquid, a container, shipping materials, and/or the like.Furthermore, one skilled in the art will recognized that stops can beadded to the routes to account for the need to reposition a vehicle whena selected shipment results in a vehicle being out of position (e.g.,when the cost of repositioning a vehicle must be considered in theselection of routes). Additionally, as discussed above, in selectedembodiments the vehicles being associated with an order can be owned bya single shipping company or the vehicle attributes can include vehiclesand transportation methods involving various carriers (e.g., variousshipping companies). Accordingly, the reliability of shipping companies,a desire to spread order transportation among different shippingcompanies, etc. can all be considered in selecting various routes.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments ofthe invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration,but that various modifications may be made without deviating from theinvention. Additionally, aspects of the invention described in thecontext of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in otherembodiments. Although advantages associated with certain embodiments ofthe invention have been described in the context of those embodiments,other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages. Additionally, notall embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall withinthe scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limitedexcept as by the appended claims.

1. A method in a computing system for determining one or more routes fortransporting items, the method comprising: receiving multiple orders totransport items from an origination stop to a destination stop, eachorder having an associated time attribute and an associated physicalattribute; generating one or more consolidations, each consolidationincluding an origination stop, a destination stop, a time attribute, aphysical attribute, a vehicle attribute, each consolidation beingassociated with two or more orders having common origination stops,common destination stops, and compatible time attributes, wherein theorigination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the commonorigination stops of the two or more associated orders, the destinationstop of each consolidation corresponds to the common destination stopsof the two or more associated orders, the physical attribute of eachconsolidation corresponds to the physical attributes of the two or moreassociated orders, and the time attribute of each consolidation iscompatible with the time attributes of the two or more associatedorders; generating one or more shipments wherein each shipment includesa selected consolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter orincludes a single order; generating one or more routes with an orderedsequence of stops, each route being associated with one or moreshipments; and selecting one or more routes based on one or more routeparameters.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising modifying atleast one of the one or more selected routes to include an additionalshipment.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: modifying atleast one of the one or more selected routes to include (a) anadditional shipment; and determining if the modified route meets one ormore selected route criteria.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein aselected consolidation meeting at least one shipment parameter includesa selected consolidation having a corresponding cost that is less thanthe sum of the costs corresponding to the two or more orders associatedwith the selected consolidation and wherein generating one or moreshipments includes: generating a cost corresponding to each order;generating a cost corresponding to each consolidation; selecting eachconsolidation; and determining whether the selected consolidation has acorresponding cost that is less than the sum of the costs correspondingto the two or more orders associated with the selected consolidation. 5.The method of claim 1 wherein generating one or more routes includesselecting one or more shipments having compatible time attributes andeither compatible vehicle attributes or no vehicle attribute and forminga route having a sequence of stops associated with the origination stopsand the destination stops of the selected one or more shipments, theformed route being associated with a selected vehicle attribute.
 6. Themethod of claim 1 wherein selecting one or more routes based on one ormore route parameters includes: generating a cost associated with eachof the one or more routes; and selecting one or more routes based on thecost associated with each route.
 7. The method of claim 1 whereinselecting one or more routes based on one or more route parametersincludes: generating a versatility associated with each of the one ormore routes; and selecting one or more routes based on the versatilityassociated with each route.
 8. A computer-readable medium containinginstructions for controlling a computing environment to perform a methodcomprising: receiving multiple orders to transport items from anorigination stop to a destination stop, each order having an associatedtime attribute and an associated physical attribute; generating one ormore consolidations, each consolidation including an origination stop, adestination stop, a time attribute, a physical attribute, a vehicleattribute, each consolidation being associated with two or more ordershaving common origination stops, common destination stops, andcompatible time attributes, wherein the origination stop of eachconsolidation corresponds to the common origination stops of the two ormore associated orders, the destination stop of each consolidationcorresponds to the common destination stops of the two or moreassociated orders, the physical attribute of each consolidationcorresponds to the physical attributes of the two or more associatedorders, and the time attribute of each consolidation is compatible withthe time attributes of the two or more associated orders; generating oneor more shipments wherein each shipment includes a selectedconsolidation that meets at least one shipment parameter or includes asingle order; generating one or more routes with an ordered sequence ofstops, each route being associated with one or more shipments; andselecting one or more routes based on one or more route parameters. 9.The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the method furthercomprises modifying at least one of the one or more selected routes toinclude an additional shipment.
 10. The computer-readable medium ofclaim 8, wherein the method further comprises: modifying at least one ofthe one or more selected routes to include (a) an additional shipment;and determining if the modified route meets one or more selected routecriteria.
 11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein a selectedconsolidation meeting at least one shipment parameter includes aselected consolidation having a corresponding cost that is less than thesum of the costs corresponding to the two or more orders associated withthe selected consolidation and wherein generating one or more shipmentsincludes: generating a cost corresponding to each order; generating acost corresponding to each consolidation; selecting each consolidation;and determining whether the selected consolidation has a correspondingcost that is less than the sum of the costs corresponding to the two ormore orders associated with the selected consolidation.
 12. Thecomputer-readable medium of claim 8 wherein generating one or moreroutes includes selecting one or more shipments having compatible timeattributes and either compatible vehicle attributes or no vehicleattribute and forming a route having a sequence of stops associated withthe origination stops and the destination stops of the selected one ormore shipments, the formed route being associated with a selectedvehicle attribute.
 13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 whereinselecting one or more routes based on one or more route parametersincludes: generating a cost associated with each of the one or moreroutes; and selecting one or more routes based on the cost associatedwith each route.
 14. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 whereinselecting one or more routes based on one or more route parametersincludes: generating a versatility associated with each of the one ormore routes; and selecting one or more routes based on the versatilityassociated with each route.
 15. A computing system for determining oneor more routes for transporting items, comprising: an order receivingsubsystem for receiving multiple orders to transport items from anorigination stop to a destination stop, each order having an associatedtime attribute and an associated physical attribute; a consolidationgenerating subsystem for generating one or more consolidations, eachconsolidation including an origination stop, a destination stop, a timeattribute, a physical attribute, a vehicle attribute, each consolidationbeing associated with two or more orders having common originationstops, common destination stops, and compatible time attributes, whereinthe origination stop of each consolidation corresponds to the commonorigination stops of the two or more associated orders, the destinationstop of each consolidation corresponds to the common destination stopsof the two or more associated orders, the physical attribute of eachconsolidation corresponds to the physical attributes of the two or moreassociated orders, and the time attribute of each consolidation iscompatible with the time attributes of the two or more associatedorders; a shipment generating subsystem for generating one or moreshipments wherein each shipment includes a selected consolidation thatmeets at least one shipment parameter or includes a single order; aroute generating subsystem for generating one or more routes with anordered sequence of stops, each route being associated with one or moreshipments; and a route selection subsystem for selecting one or moreroutes based on one or more route parameters.
 16. The computing systemof claim 15, further comprising a route modifying subsystem formodifying at least one of the one or more selected routes to include anadditional shipment.
 17. The computing system of claim 15, furthercomprising a route modifying subsystem for: modifying at least one ofthe one or more selected routes to include (a) an additional shipment;and determining if the modified route meets one or more selected routecriteria.
 18. The computing system of claim 15 wherein generating one ormore routes includes selecting one or more shipments having compatibletime attributes and either compatible vehicle attributes or no vehicleattribute and forming a route having a sequence of stops associated withthe origination stops and the destination stops of the selected one ormore shipments, the formed route being associated with a selectedvehicle attribute.